Deutsche Bank today releases its twelfth annual Alternative Investor
Survey, which stands as one of the largest and longest standing hedge
fund investor surveys available. This year over 400 investor entities
participated, representing over $1.8 trillion in hedge fund assets and
over two thirds of the entire market by assets under management (AuM).
Barry Bausano, Co-head of Global Prime Finance at Deutsche Bank, said:
“Hedge funds continue to establish their growing position within the
broader asset management industry, alongside some of the more mainstream
asset managers. The hedge fund industry is predicted to reach a record
$3 trillion by 2014 year end driven by significant inflows, most notably
from institutional investors.”
Anita Nemes, Global Head of the Hedge Fund Capital Group at Deutsche
Bank, said: “With the majority of investors happy with hedge fund
performance, we expect institutional investors to further strengthen
their commitment to hedge funds. Last year’s respondents targeted 9.2%
for their hedge fund portfolios, and hedge funds delivered – the
weighted average return for respondents’ hedge fund portfolios this year
was 9.3%. Looking forward, respondents are targeting 9.4% for 2014.”
Highlights of Deutsche Bank’s twelfth annual Alternative Investment
Survey
-
Investors remain bullish on industry growth – hedge funds are
expected to reach a record breaking $3 trillion by year end 2014, up
from $2.6tn as of 2013 year end. This is based on investors’
predictions of $171 billion net inflows and performance-related gains
of 7.3% (representing $191 billion)
-
Commitment from institutional investors continues to strengthen –
nearly half of institutional investors increased their hedge fund
allocations in 2013, and 57% plan to grow their allocations in 2014.
Institutional investors now account for two thirds of industry assets,
compared to approximately one third pre-crisis
-
Investors are happy with hedge fund performance - 80% of
respondents state that hedge funds performed as expected or better in
2013, after their allocations returned a weighted average of 9.3% in
2013. 63% of respondents, and 79% of institutional investors, are
targeting returns of less than 10% for their hedge fund portfolios in
2014. Equity long short and event driven are the most sought after
strategies.
-
2 & 20 is not the norm - Investors today pay an average
management fee of 1.7%, and an average performance fee of 18.2%. While
fees have come down slightly, investors remain willing to pay for
performance: almost half of all investors would allocate to a manager
with fees in excess of 2&20 where the manager has proven ‘consistent
strong performance in absolute terms’.
-
A bigger part of a bigger pie – hedge funds get reclassified. 39%
of investors are now embracing a risk-based approach to asset
allocation, up from 25% in 2013. 41% of pension consultants recommend
this approach to clients. The risk-based approach effectively removes
historical constraints on the percentage allocation to absolute return
strategies, allowing equity long/short managers to compete with long
only and fixed income absolute return funds within the overall fixed
income risk budget.
Conducted by Deutsche Bank’s Global Prime Finance business, the survey
identifies trends amongst a growing and evolving hedge fund investor
base. Respondents include asset managers, public and private pensions,
endowments and foundations, insurance companies, fund of funds, private
banks, investment consultants and family offices.
Allocators from 29 different countries completed the survey.
Approximately half (46%) of responding investors manage $1bn+ in hedge
fund AuM, and 18% manage over $5bn.
Copyright Business Wire 2014